A Heart Wrapped in Thorns #3
Would explain the destruction, though it would have needed to be a particularly large bristled ogre, and why only Keone had been around. The ogre had probably decided the matter settled and wandered off back to its territory. "I'm so sorry that happened. Can I ask, um, why you…weren't dressed?"
Laughing, Keone said sheepishly, "I was in the middle of changing. I fell in some pretty foul mushrooms a little while ago and finally couldn't bear it anymore. I was changing, planning to wash the clothes, and then…"
"Oh, well, I guess the rain took care of that, because I didn't notice a smell at all.
" Which was impressive, because if they were the mushrooms he was thinking of, they normally left clothes reeking for days and often stained the clothes, ruining them anyway.
Keone had gotten damned lucky, all things considered.
"They're upstairs drying. I'll fetch them down when the storm stops, though at this point, it's getting dark, so we might be stuck here till morning. "
"I've had worse evenings than this," Keone replied with an easy smile as he poured them tea. "So what are your plans for the berries? Preserving? Baking?"
"Dyeing, actually. I've some silk thread I want to dye pink and purple to turn into flowers on my tapestry."
"That sounds lovely," Keone replied. "Is that your trade?"
"No, just a hobby, I'm afraid. My day-to-day duties are not so interesting."
Keone regarded him pensively for a brief moment, but thankfully did not pursue the topic. Though Aurélien had no reason to be afraid of him, especially with the thorns to protect him, still Aurélien was reluctant to confess he was royalty.
"So what do you do?" Aurélien asked. "Thank you for the tea."
"I travel," Keone said. "Pick up work as I need to, but mostly just travel, writing about and drawing all that I see. I spent most of my early life at sea, so now I'm exploring the land."
"That sounds interesting. Does it get lonely?"
"Yes and no. There are always people to meet and pass the time with, but no one to travel with me.
A few have tried, but it never works out.
" His mouth twisted sourly for a moment, but then he smiled.
"All for the best, really. Eventually I'll have to return home, to my duties and everything else awaiting me.
Better off not dragging some poor, unsuspecting soul into that mess. "
"Mess?"
"My family life is…complicated. Lots of politics, lots of favoritism to track, that sort of thing.
Gives me a damn headache. I wanted some freedom, unique experiences, before I settled into it.
Even if I'd stayed, I'd never be as good at it as my eldest sisterd.
Takes a special knack to get stubborn dumbasses to cooperate or prideful men to set aside their egos and do the right thing.
" He shrugged. "Not really my skillset."
Aurélien's heart started racing again, foolishly and hopelessly. He could do all that, and he enjoyed it. That was what he did for his mother all day, every day. He had no ambitions for all the power and money and more that the court vied for every day, so it made him a good mediator.
He squashed the urge to offer himself up for the job.
They hardly knew each other; that would be ridiculous.
Keone would think him a fool or the worst sort of schemer.
Who could blame him for being tempted, though?
Keone was interesting, compelling, friendly, and his eyes were so lovely, his smile so warm.
"Do you miss your home? Other than the duties that burden you, I mean. "
"I do, and I'll probably return soon because I do have duties and responsibilities I cannot avoid forever. I don't even want to avoid them forever. I just wanted to see the world first, and felt that sort of experience would be a great benefit."
"I wish I could have traveled," Aurélien said. "My mother does not approve of me, and my siblings distance themselves to remain safe from her wrath, so…" He shrugged.
Smiling wryly, Keone said, "My family loves me, but we have different ideas of what I should be doing at my age, so I left. I'll return someday to take up my duties, but when I choose to, not them."
Oh, to have that luxury. If he tried it, his mother would have him brought back one way or another—probably by hurting other people, since she could not hurt him. Or she'd have Pip kidnapped or killed. She couldn't touch him, but she certainly still controlled him.
Aurélien returned Keone's smile, but before he could speak further, Pip woke from her nap and all but threw herself into his lap in an unsubtle demand for attention.
Keone laughed in delight. "Who is that little darling?"
"This is Pip. I got her a couple of months ago. She's very good at retrieving sticks and scaring away ducks."
"I see," Keone said with a grin. "She's adorable."
Pip squirmed from Aurélien's lap and set to exploring. Aurélien reached into his pocket, retrieved a treat, and then held out his closed hand. Pip barked in excitement and came right over, pawing and nudging at his hand until she got his fingers open.
She wolfed down the treat, then looped around the fire and threw herself into Keone's lap. He smiled softly, gently, and petted her until she settled right back down into another nap.
Aurélien stared in astonishment. "I've never seen her do that.
She sleeps with me, in her basket or on the balcony in the sunshine.
She won't go near my family, and only lets a couple of servants touch her.
You must be quite something, Master Keone, to win my puppy over so easily.
" And didn't that set his heart to fluttering all over again.
Dina had been the same way, as well as extremely protective. What would she have thought of Keone?
"Animals tend to like me. I think they sense a kindred spirit," Keone said. "Would you like more tea?"
"Please."
When he'd poured the tea, he motioned to his enormous bag. "There's food in there, if you do not mind fetching it. I would hate to disturb the little princess."
Chuckling, following his direction, Aurélien secured the packets, bundles, and pouches of food.
In very short order, they had a nice stew bubbling and bread cooking atop embers.
Instead of sitting opposite him again, Aurélien settled next to him, pulling his retrieved cloak up around his shoulders to further keep away the chill settling in.
Summer was finally fading into autumn, the reason he'd chosen now to go berry picking, and soon the days would be as brisk as the nights.
As Keone was awake, it would make sense to go upstairs where they'd be much more comfortable, but for the moment at least Aurélien was perfectly happy to stay right here.
The fire kept them warm, Pip was happy, and he had every excuse in the world to sit close to Keone and bask in his warmth and presence.
"Those are beautiful tattoos," Keone said, nodding at the thorny vines on his forearms, where Aurélien had rolled his sleeves up to work.
"Thank you. Do you have any tattoos?"
"No, sadly. I always wanted them, but it's…never worked out." Keone shrugged.
In his lap, Pip stirred, demanded attention from both, then pattered off to explore and find a place to relieve herself outside now the rain had eased to a drizzle.
At least for the moment. Aurélien could definitely hear more thunder in the distance, and in another hour or so, it would be dark.
Unless they wanted to do something foolish, like leave now and practically run all the way back to the palace in the storm and growing dark, they were here for the night.
He vastly preferred this to yet another tense, miserable meal with his family. Where his mother tormented him in every way she could, and his siblings cast him sympathetic looks but did nothing to actually help.
When the stew and bread were ready, Aurélien dished everything out and served it, and they ate together in a companiable silence that was like nothing he'd ever known.
He fed chunks of meat from his stew to Pip, dipped the bread in the remaining broth, and could not remember a finer meal in his life.
They finished it off with berries and tea.
As the fire died down, Aurélien said, "You know, I guess there's no real reason we have to remain down here, if you think you can manage the stairs. There's a bed up there that will be far more comfortable than this floor."
Something glittered, hot and delightful, in Keone's eyes. A shiver ran down Aurélien's spine. He'd just assumed his interest was entirely one-sided, unnoticed or politely ignored, but those bewitching eyes were filled with matching heat.
"I like the sound of a bed. Lead the way," Keone said as he used the bucket of water to ensure the fire really was out for good. They gathered up his things, the basket of berries that was still mostly full, and with a racing heart, Aurélien led the way up the stairs.
His little retreat wasn't much: an old, heavy curtain over the doorway to keep out the worst of the draft from the stairs, a tapestry he'd made over the door on the other side that led to a narrow balcony, old rugs scattered across the floor.
The little woodstove with shelves made from stacked old crates holding tea, food, dishes, other little items nearby.
The bed, a sturdy straw mattress he'd stuffed himself, was also laid across commandeered old crates, with another one serving as table and book storage beside it.
Lanterns of various shapes and sizes were scattered about for light, along with old candelabra he'd filched from palace storage.